Many entrepreneurs have that sudden spark of inspiration, that moment when an product idea is born, their minds start racing quickly with images of all its potential, jumping from one possibility to the next, and then their thoughts slowly settle and arrive at vision a futuristic company – one with crowds of customers beating at the doors of their new office building, inboxes overflowing with requests from the press wanting to interview the founders, and phone ringing with investors all wanting to get in on the deal. Finally, reality brings the entrepreneur’s thoughts to a screeching halt, “How do I go from this great idea to this great company. Where do I start?”

The idea is born, but you can only go so far with just an idea. Start-ups don’t fail because companies are unable to build a product; they fail because the business factors needed to bring that product into the market are either neglected or ignored. Practical, insightful and actionable, Startup from the Ground Up gets you moving down the right path and thinking in the right direction with tips, strategies, and techniques on how to launch a start up. Readers will discover:

Why it’s not enough just to have a great product

How to take a product concept and turn it into a full-fledged successful business

Why it is so important to start marketing your product as early as possible and how to get started

How to build a team and keep them, and why a team is more than founders and employees

If you seek outside funding, what investors will be looking for and how to entice them

Cynthia, founder of three companies, has worked with over 25 start-ups, and she knows that having a great product isn’t enough. You have to know how to get your product out in the marketplace. The quickest way to get any fledgling idea to realize its full potential, Startup from the Ground Up provides insight that ensures a proper foundation for success.

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You found your customers; you know who and where they are, but how do you get the customers to talk with you about their needs and problems?

Cornering a potential customer at an event is another way to get them to speak with you. Smaller events are better. The restroom marketing approach is a clever way to meet your potential customers. Here’s how a B2B enterprise software start-up did it. The marketing person bought the list of attendees for a small conference prior to the event date. He cross referenced the list to their potential customers, memorized the list of names, and staked out the restroom area at the conference. As people left the restrooms, he noted the name on their conference name tags, and approached those on his target list. The marketing person knew the person would have at least a few minutes to speak with him as the customer was walking from the restroom area back to the conference area where the programs were being held. In fact, this is how he first met their first big customer.